THE ALL ENGLAND ELEVEN’S VISIT.

Evening Star, Issue 3274, 18 August 1873, Page 3

THE ALL ENGLAND ELEVEN’S VISIT.

The following letter appears in the Lyttelton Times :— Melbourne, August I. Sir, —I have much pleasure in informing you that I have, in conjunction with other gentlemen interested in cricket, made arrangements with the following* celebrated nglish cricketers to play a series of matches in the Australian Colonies. '.I he team purpose leaving by the P. and 0, Co.’s mail steamer of 23rd October, and it is intended to play the first match on the Melbo irne cricket ground on Boxing Day, December 26, and following days. Mr A. Appleby, Mr A, J. Bush, Mr W. G. Grace, Mr G. E. Grace, Mr A. N. Hornby, K. Humphrey, H. Jupp, J. Lillywbite, W. M‘lntyre, W. Oscroft, G. Finder, J. Southerton. I shall be prepared to consider any proposal that may be made for a visit from the Eleven to your district, on the following conditions :

1. That a sum, to be fixed hereafter, be paid to me for the privilege of a three days’ match.

2. That all expenses (hotel bills, lun-

cheons, cab fares, Ac.), connected with the visit and match be paid by the local club, who, on their part, shall be entitled to all the profits that may arise out of such match.

The travelling expenses of the Eleven to and from Christchurch be borne by the local club ; in point of fact the Eleven will be the guests of the local club upon their arrival and until their departure from New Zealand. It is obvious that the local clubs will be able to manage the match much more successfully, and at far less coat than I can, and I beg to suggest to all who wish to take advantage of this contemplated visit, that it may be well to secure themselves against any risk of Joss (improbable as it may appear) by obtaining guarantees to the amount of their estimated risk from wealthy residents in the locality desirous of witnessing such a display of cricket as is not likely to be afforded again in Australia for many years. As it is essential to the display of good cricket that the playing ground should be in first-class order, it is hardly necessary to suggest that this matter should receive your early attention. As the number of matches the Eleven will play is necessarily limited, and as I am desirous of arranging the programme as speedily as possible, I shall be glad if you will at once submit this circular to your club, and, if thought desirable, to a public meeting of the cricketers of your district, and communicate to me at your earliest convenience any proposal that may be agreed to on the subject. W. C. Biddle.

* There may possibly be some little alteration in the list of names, but, in any case, the team will be quite a first-class one.

Commenting on the letter, the Lyttelton Times remarks .Should Mr Biddle’s mouth be of a large size, and he opens it to its fullest extent, the chances are nil, but should a reasonable amount be asked, the matter could probably be arranged. The expenses mentioned in the second paragraph are easily ascertained, and are only a minor consideration. Unfortunately for the Province, the closing remark of the second paragraph is to

us a void—“who on their part shall be entitled to all the profits that may arise from such match,” Could a charge be made for admittance to the ground, some chance of pro tit might be, but as it is otherwise, the idea must be abandoned, unless, as in the case of the last All England Fleveu visiting New Zealand, permission be given to charge, and even then we hardly see where the profit is to come from. The sum required hy this Province, if joined by Otago (bub should such not be the case, the idea would have to be at once abandoned of seeing the eleven), cannot be estimated at less than LI,OOO, each Province to pay half, thus leaving us to provide LOGO, Can this bo done? We think so, but if it should require more than this sum, the matter may be at once dropped, for it would be too much to expect that a larger sum could be collected. A considerable portion of the money would remain in the Province, and we have no doubt but that a good number of those interested in the game would accompany the team from Victoria. Wc suppose, before leaving Melbourne, the amount of Mr Biddle’s demand, and the passage money per steamer, would have to be guaranteed; it is necessary to see how this could be done, the matter being taken up as a speculation being out of the question. The only way we see is, by a number of the leading supporters of the game guaranteeing the amount, say up to LJSO, Otago doing likewise. The guarantors could in a great measure protect themselves by opening subscription lists, and collecting up to the amount guaranteed by them. So that taking the sum required to be LSOO, and that permission be granted to charge admission, we do not see anything to prevent the matter being arranged.